Prof. Yrjö Eero Helariutta Delivered His Inaugural Lecture at the University of Tartu

On 10 February 2026, ERA Chair Prof. Yrjö Eero Helariutta, a leading figure in plant developmental biology worldwide, delivered his inaugural lecture at the University of Tartu Assembly Hall (Ülikooli 18).

Titled “From Tree Biology to Dendroengineering”, the lecture introduced Prof. Helariutta’s scientific vision and outlined the molecular and developmental biology foundations that support the TreeBioTEC project’s mission. The event was held in English and was streamed live via UTTV.

During the lecture, Prof. Helariutta discussed the central role of forests in global carbon sequestration and presented molecular approaches for enhancing the carbon sink capacity of trees. He highlighted advances in phloem morphogenesis, vascular stem cell engineering, and the application of genome-wide technologies that now enable the translation of discoveries from model plants to forest tree species.

As the ERA Chair Holder within the TreeBioTEC project, Prof. Helariutta plays a key role in establishing a new research group in molecular dendroengineering at the Institute of Bioengineering, University of Tartu. His extensive experience spans leading academic institutions, including the University of Helsinki, New York University, the University of Cambridge, and the Centre of Excellence in Tree Biology in Finland.

The inaugural lecture marked an important milestone for both the TreeBioTEC project and the University of Tartu, offering the university community and wider public insight into the scientific foundations guiding future dendroengineering research.

The full recording of the lecture is available via UTTV, with a total duration of 59:40.

Inaugural lecture recording: https://uttv.ee/naita?id=40977

Photo gallery: https://uttv.ee/fotod#id_galerii=17093